Game apparatus.



E. R. RAMSEY GAME APPARATUS. v APPLIGATION FILED JULY 25, 1914 Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

' l/VI/ENTUH WITNESSES THE NORRIS PETERS ca, PHOTG LITHOH WASHINGI'UN. D C

E. R. RAMSEY.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULYZS 191+.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IIVVE/VTOR WI T/VE 88158 THE NORRIS PETERS C0.v PHOTOLITHOH WASHING roNv D. c

E. R. RAMSEY.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1914 1,127,279, Patented Feb.2, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET a.

FHE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHo'ro-LlTHa, WASHINGION. D C.

: r anion.

EDIA RAY RAMSEY, OF PENN YAN, NEW YORK.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Application filed July 25, 1914. Serial No. 852,976.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDIA RAY RAMSEY, a citizen of the United States of America, and residing at Penn Yan, in the county of Yates and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

'llhe principal object of my invention is the provision of means whereby the various plays of a game, and particularly a baseball game, may be enacted before a player and which while not necessitating any particular skill or experience and therefore capable of being played by all, is nevertheless governed by the skill and so-called luck of the player, just as in the regular game.

Another object is to simulate as far as possible the actual conditions existing in the regular game.

The invention accordingly embodies a series of indicating devices arranged as operated to represent the various plays-of a game, mechanism for controlling the operation of the several indicating devices and an impact-receiving member connected to operate the controlling mechanism. The im-' pact-receiving member, is usually, in the case of a baseball game apparatus, such as illustrated in the present disclosure, in the form of a captive ball which is connected by a suitable flexible connection with a member which operates the control mechanism in accordance with the force and effect of the blow upon the ball.

The indicating devices are preferably in the form of annunciators suitably connected with the control mechanism and serving as they are operated to visualize the various plays made by a player.

A special feature consists in so arrangii'ig certain of the indicating devices that they will be successively operated and will indicate successive plays in the game and arranging other indicating devices to represent various plays modifying or bearing upon the successive plays made. Thus in the present baseball game disclosure there is a first series of indicators governed by the force of theblow struck to show the number f successive bases covered or run and a second series of indicators showing for instance theportion of the field into which the ball has been struck and whether the player is safe or out.

Various other objects and features of the invention will appear as the specification.

Figure 1, is a perspective view showing the invention embodied in a baseball game apparatus. In this view the captive ball has just been struck by a player. Fig. 2, is a more or less diagrammatic view illustrating electrical connections between the control mechanism and. indicating devices, and showing the parts in the positions indicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a detail view of a form of annunciator employed with the indicator board appearing in section. Fig. 4, is a front view of these parts looking at the face of the board. Fig. 5, is a face view illustrating the operation of the base annunciators. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail plan and side views of one of the base contacts. Figs. 8 and 9 are detail plan and side views of one of the play-modifying contacts. Fig. 10, is a detail plan view illustrating one of the switches for operating the out annunciators. Fig. 11 is a sectional view illustrating means for releasing the operating disk of the control mechanism. Fig. 12, is a rear perspective view of a modified form of control mechanism. Fig. 13, is a sectional view of the same taken substantially on the central plane of Fig. 12.

In the general view, Fig. 1, the impactreceiving member is shown as a captive ball 11, suspended by a rope or like flexible connection 12, in position to be struckby a hat or club 13 in the hands of a player. To make the play more realistic the action of pitching the ball is simulated by supporting the ball in an elevated position and then allowing it to swing down toward the bat ter. lhus in the illustration the ball is releasably supported in elevated position by a pivoted catch 14 which when tripped by a pull on the line 15 allows the ball to swing around a guide 16 as a fulcrum point. The curving of the ball may be imitated by making this fulcrum a variable one, as by supporting it on a flexible connection 17 which may at will be raised or lowered to change the trajectory of the ball.

The indicating devices are preferably mounted on a board 20 representing a ball field and which is usually placed so that the player can observe the effect of his batting. Thus in the illustration the indicator board is placed at the inner end of a gallery and the player stands confronting the board so that he can see the effect of his own play and so that the whole effect can be observed by spectators at the other end of' the gallery.

The control mechanism, designated 21 may be placed wherever convenient and it is here shown located at the outer end of the gallery at a point conveniently accessible to the operator or attendant who may be in charge of the gallery.

In the present disclosure the first second, third and home bases are represented on the field by stations29, 30, 31, and 32 respectively and the positions of short stop, left field center field and right field are represented by the stations 33, 34, 35 and 36. At each of these stations an annunciator is placed to indicate a play made at that particular station. Thus as shown diagrammatically in Fig.

I 2, there is an annunciator 38 for first base, anrther one 39 for second base, a third 40 for third base and a fourth 41 for home and annunciators 42, 43, 44 and 45 are provided at the stations of short stop left field, center field and right field In addition, certain out indicating annunciators 46, 47, 48 and 4-) are placed adjacent the respective bases to indicate the players out at such stations and it will be understood that other annunciators may be provided to indicate various other plays at the respective bases. These annunciators, as more clearly indi cated in Figs. 3 and 4 may be of the socalled drop. type, wherein an electromagnet 51 serves when energized to attract its armature 5'22 and thereby to lift a trip hook 53 carried by said armature out of sustaining engagement with a pivoted drop 54. The drop when thus released falls down into the dotted line position shown. The magnets and Wiring connections are preferably placed on the back of the board and the drops on the face of the board. Cords 55 or other means may be provided for resettingthe drops, these cords being shown attached to the drops and passed upward through openings 56 to the back of the board. The base and field position annunciators are preferably so placed that their drops, when released, will cover the staticns to which they relate and the drops will usually be provided with suitable inscriptions or figures to plainly indicate the nature of the play. Thus as shown in Fig. 5, the drop for the first base annunciator bears the figure of a base runner on its under or normally concealed face so that when released the effect is given of a man just reaching first base. The outer or nor-- mally exposed faces of the drops are preferably of the same color as the field so as to be'normally indistinguishable. To preto make'electrical engagement with the controlj elements which are in the form of contacts disposed about the periphery of the disk on the base 62. The flexible connection which holds the ball captive is shown connected directly to the operating disk at 63 and the periphery of the disk is grooved to keep the flexible connection properly positioned thereon. The disk is held in a normal position of rest against a back-stop 64 by a spiral spring 65 or equivalent means, this spring being shown connected at its inner end to the fixed supporting shaft and at its outer end to a stud 66 carried by the disk.

The control contacts are in the illustration arranged in two series, a first series of successively disposed contacts for indicating successive base-running movements and a second series of contacts arranged more or less arbitrarily to inject certain elements of chance into the game. The first series consists of a contact 6'7, connected with the first base annunci ator, a contact 68 for second base, a contact 69 for third base and a home base contact 70. These contacts are disposed in the path of and are arranged to be engaged by the outstanding contact 60 of the operating disk. This moving contact 60 is charged with current by being connected with a slip ring 71 to which current is led by a connection 72 from abattery 73 or other current source. The rest of the circuit connections for the successive indicating devices are as follows: from the first base contact 6'? by a conductor 75' to the first base annuno-iator 38 and from there by way of a conductor 76 to the common return 77 which leads to the return side of the battery; from second base contact 38 by conductor 78 to second baseannnnciator 39 and from there by conductor 79 to the common return 77; from third base contact 69 by conductor 80 to third base relay 4O and from there by conductor 81 to common return 77; from home base contact 70 by conductor 82 to the home relay 41 and thence to the common return 77 by a short conductor 83. These base contacts are usually made yield'able in both directions as by being pivoted on studs 84 yieldingly held in a central position by springs as indicated in Fig. 6. V

The second or more or less arbitrarily arranged series of controlling elements are illustrated as contacts for indicating the various field plays and for indicating the players out. Thus the first one of these contacts shown, 87, serves when contacted by the projecting contact 61 on the drum to cause actuation of the short stop annunciator and the out annunciator at first base, which would indicate the player out at first base on a ball to short stop. The connections by which thisis accomplished are as follows: The projecting drum contact 61 re ceives current from the slip ring 89 which is fed from the battery 90 or other current source by conductor 91, while contact 87 is connected by conductor 92 with the short stop annunciator 42 and with the out at first annunciator 46 by a branch conductor 93, the annunciators being respectively connected by conductors 94 and 95 with a common return 96 to the other side of battery 90. These two annunciators thus operate in parallel. The player in Fig. 1 is indicated as making the play just described.

In advance of contact 87 there is shown a contact 98 for indicating a man safe at first on a drive to right. This contact is accordingly connected by a conductor 99 with the right field annunciator 45, said annunciator being in turn connected by a conductor 100 to the common return 96.

The base contacts are operated successively in the forward rotation of the disk and the contacts of the second series are operated at the termination of the forward movement imparted to the disk. Accordingly the backs and tips of this second set of contacts are faced with insulation, as indicated at 102 Figs 8 and 9; so that the engagement of the contact member 61 therewith on the forward movement of the drum has no circuit-changing effect. The circuit is thus only closed through these contacts when contact member 61 moves forward past a contact and then upon the rearward rotation of the drum drops back into engagement with the of the contact. To permit the forward yielding action of the contacts they may be pivoted on studs 103. In order that the disk will be held in its most forwardly rotated position, back stops 104 may be provided for these forwardly yielding contacts, the springs 105 serving to normally hold the contacts back against these stops. These contacts thus serve as ratchets holding the drum in its advanced position and preventing the drum swinging back and operating other contacts in rear of the foremost contact reached.

Suitable means may be provided for releasing the drum and thus in effect resetting the control mechanism. Means for face I to center field annunciator 44, which in turn 'is connected to the common return 96 by this purpose is illustrated in the form of a sleeve 10? on the shaft 59 arranged to be forced by a lever 108 into engagement with the angular retracting levers 109. e

In the illustration the contact members 60 and 61 are slidably mounted in guides 110 and are pressed outwardly by springs 111. The angular retracting levers 109 are connected with the inner ends of these slidable members and these retracting levers are operated by the sleeve 10?.

The two play-modifying contacts 87 and 98 for first base, are preferably so arranged that the contact member 60 will have to travel far enough forward to operate the first base contact before either one of them will be operated. Thus in the illustration a relatively light blow on the captive ball may serve to rotate the drum far enough to engage contact member 60 with first base contact 67 but not far enough to carry contact member 61 farther than just in front of contact 87, whereupon annunciators 38, 42 and 46 will be operated to indicate the player out'at first on bail to short stop, while a slightly heavier blow may suffice to carry the drum far enough farther forward to engage contact member 61 in front of contact 98 whereupon the annunciators 38 and 45 will show the player. safe at first on a ball to right field. To insure the contact members 60 and 61 engaging only the sets of contacts with which they are intended to coact, said members, and the two sets of contacts are preferably disposed in different planes, as indicated in Fig. 9 and they may be of different lengths as also shown. a

The base running indicators may, if desired, be made to act only on f safe plays. In the present embodiment various playmodifying contacts are provided adjacent each base contact. Thus for second base there is an out to center field contact 114, and a safe to left field contact for third base there is an out to right field contact 116 and a safe to center field contact 117; and for home base there is an out to left field contact 118 and a safe to center field contact 119.

Contact 114 is connected by conductor 120 conductor 121. Conductor 122 connects contact 115 with left field annunciator 43 and that annunciator is connected by conductor 123 with common return 96. Conductor 12499 connects contact 116 with the right field annunciator 45, conductor 125-120 connects contact 117 to center field annunciator 44, conductor 126-122 connects con tact 118 to left field annunciator 43 and a conductor 127120 connects contact 119 to center field annunciator 44, all these annunciators being joined to the common return 96, as shown. 1

To avoid the possibility of conflicting plays, the out annunciators are usually controlled by independent switches, such as indicated at 130, 131 and 132 in position to be operated by the contacts 114, 116 and 118. These switches, as indicated in Fig. 10 may simply be in the form of spring arms 133 arranged to be pushed into contact with terminal plates 134 to complete circuits through the out annunciators. One member of switch 130 is connected by a short back connection 135 with contact 114 so as to receive current when that contact is contacted by contact member 61 and the other member of the switch is connected by conductor 136 with the out annunci ator 47 at second base, said annunciator being connected by conductors 13?'121 with common return 96. Switches 131 and 132 are similarly back-connected to take current from their respective operating contacts 116 and 118 and they are connected by conductors 138 and 139 respectively to the out annunciators 48 and 49 at third and home bases, which annunciators are tapped to the common return as shown. The out annunciators are in this way switched in parallel with the field annunciators in conjunction with which they are intended to operate.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 19, and 13 the effect of men progressively running the bases is obtained by providing contact-controlling disks representing the men and operating these disks in succession by successive blows on the impact-receiving member. For tnis purpose the operating disk 58 is provided with a pawl 141 arranged to first engage and operate the first disk 143, then the second disk 144 and then the third disk The three or more disks, representing as they do successive players are rotatably engaged on the supporting shaft 59 and are provided with springs 146 or equivalent means tending to turn them back to a neutral position of rest.

Suitable contacts, such as before described, are provined to be operated by the respective disks. At the start the pawl 141 on the driving disk 58 is in engagement with a shoulder 148 on the disk 143 representing the first man, so that the first blow on the impact-receiving member rotates the first disk forward a distance depending upon the force and effect of the blow. T he first disk may be held in the position to which it has been thus advanced by the forwardly yielding contact elements as previously described. As the spring 65 returns the drive disk to its position of rest, the drive pawl 141 drops from engagement with the shoulder 148 on the first disk into engagement with a shoulder 149 on the second disk 144 so that upon the next blow, movement is imparted directly to the second disk. The

Upon the next retractive movement of the drive disk 58, the drive pawl 141 drops into engagement with a shoulder 152 on the third disk so that upon the third stroke, the third disk is carried forward an extent dependent upon the force of the blow. A pawl 153 on the face of the third disk, engaging the teeth of a ratchet ring 154 on the back of the second disk, causes the second disk to move forward with the third disk and the first disk is at the same time advanced a corresponding eXtent by reason of the pawl and ratchet connection between the secondand first disks. This successive operation of the disks gives the effect of one man assisting another as in the regular game and means such as the resetting mechanism described above may be provided for returning the player in case of a player going out, etc, and to meet the disks for the next play.

From the foregoing it is apparent the invention closely approximates the conditions existing in an actual game and therefore provides the interest and excitement usually afforded by the real game. Further the invention provides an amusement device which can be played by any one and one which while decidedly effective and practical is both simple and inexpensive in construction.

lVhat I claim is 1. Game apparatus comprising a series of indicating devices operable to represent the different plays of a game, mechanism controlling the selective operation of the said indicating devices and a captive ball operatively connected with said control mechanism and supported in position to be struck by a club in the hands of a. player.

9-. Game apparatus comprising a series of annunciator devices arranged when operated to represent the different plays of a game, control mechanism for the respective annunciator devices and a captive ball connected to operate said control mechanism and supported in position to be struck by a club in the hands of a player.

3. Game apparatus comprising a series of indicating devices arranged as operated in succession to represent successive plays in a game, a second series of indicating devices arranged to represent plays modifying the plays represented by the first series of indicating devices, control mechanism embodying a movable operating member, a series of successively disposed control elements actuated by said operating member and operatively connected with the successive inclicating devices and a series of arbitrarily disposed control elements actuated by the CAD operating member and operatively connected with the play-modifying indicating de' vices, and means for imparting movement to the movable operating member.

4. Game apparatus comprising a series of indicating devices arranged as operated in succession to represent successive plays in a game, a second series of indicating devices arranged to represent plays modifying the plays represented by the first series of indicating devices, control mechanism embodying a movable operating member, a series of successively disposed control elements actuated by said operating member and operatively connected with the succes sive indicating devices and a series of arbitrarily disposed control elements actuated by the operating member and operatively connected With the play-modifying indicating devices, and a captive ball connected to the movable operating member for actuating the same.

5. Game apparatus comprising a series of indicating devices arranged to represent the successive base-running plays of a baseball game, a series of indicating devices arranged to represent plays modifying the base-running plays, an impact-receiving member and control mechanism embodying a movable operating member operatively connected with the impact-receiving member, a series of successively disposed control elements actuated by said operating member and operatively connected with the successive baserunning indicating devices and. a series of control elements actuated by the operating member and operatively connected with the play-modifying indicating devices.

6. Game apparatus comprising a series of indicating devices arranged to represent the successive base-running plays of a baseball game, a series of indicating devices arranged to represent plays modifying the base-running plays, an impact-receiving member and control mechanism embodying a movable operating member operatively connected with the impact-receiving member, a serles of control elements operatively connected with the successive base-running indicating devices and arranged to be successively actuated by the operating member in the movement imparted to said member by the 1mpact-receiving member, and control elements for the play-modifying indicating devices arranged to be actuated by the operatirig member at the end of the movement imparted thereto by the impact-recelving memher.

7. Game apparatus comprising a series of indicating devices arranged to represent the successive base-running plays of a baseball game, a series of indicating devices arranged to represent plays modifying the base-running plays, an impact-receiving member and control mechanism embodying a movable operating member operatively connected with the impact-receiving member, a series of control elements operatively connected With the successive base-running indicating devices and arranged to be successively actuated by the operating member in the for- Ward movement imparted to said member by a blow on the impact-receiving member, means for returning the operating member to a normal position of rest and control elements for the play-modifying indicating devices arranged to be actuated by the operating member upon its return movement at the end of the forward movement imparted thereto.

8. In game apparatus. indicating devices arranged to represent the bases of a baseball field, indicating devices disposed adjacent the base indicating devices and arranged to represent plays made at the respective bases, an impact-receiving member and control mechanism for the indicating devices comprising an operating member operatively connected with the impact-receiving member, control elements for the base indicating devices arranged to be successively actuated by said operating member and control devices for the second-mentioned indicating devices arranged to be actuated by the operating member.

9. In game apparatus, indicating devices arranged to represent the bases of a baseball. field, indicating devices disposed adjacent the base indicating devices and arranged to represent plays made at the respective bases, field-play indicating devices, an impact-receiving member and control mechanism for the indicating devices comprising an operating member operatively connected with the impact-receiving member, control elements for the base indicating devices arranged to be successively actuated by said operating member, control devices for the second-mentioned indicating devices arranged to be actuated by the operating member and control devices for the fieldplay indicating devices arranged to be actuated by the operating member.

10. In game apparatus, indicating devices arranged to represent a ball field, an impact-receiving member, and control mechanism for the indicating devices comprising a plurality of movable members operable in sequential order by successive blows on the impact-receiving member and control elements actuated by the said sequentially 0perable movable members.

11. In game apparatus, indicating devices arranged to represent a ball field, an impact-receiving member, and control mechanism for the indicating devices comprising a movable operating member operatively connected with the impact-receiving member, control elements connected to the indicating devices, a plurality of mova ble members for actuating the control elements and means for sequentially coupling the operating member to successive ones of the movable control members.

12. In game apparatus, indicating devices arranged to represent a ball field, control mechanism for said indicating devices, a flexible connection from said control mechanism, a captive ball on said flexible connection, releasable means for supporting the ball in elevated position, a fulcrum for supporting theflexible connection as the ball is released and means for shifting said fulgrulm to thereby vary the trajectory of the 13. Game apparatus comprising a series of indicating devices arranged to represent the successive base-running plays of a baseball game, an impact-receiving member, control mechanism embodying a movable operating member operatively connected with the impact-receiving member, a series of control elements operatively connected With the successive base-running indicating Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents devices and arranged to be successively actuated by the operating member in the movement imparted to said member by the impact-receiving member, and means for releasing the operating member from the control elements.

14:. In game apparatus annunciators arranged to represent the bases of a baseball field, annunciators disposed adjacent the base annunciators and arranged to represent plays made at the respective bases, an impact-receiving member and control mechanism for the annunciators comprising an operating member operatively connected with the impact-receiving member, control elements for the base annunciators arranged to be successively actuated by said operating member and control devices for the second-mentioned annunciators arranged to be actuated by the operating member.

EDIA RAY RAMSEY.

Witnesses:

E. B. REED, Timo. P. CHRISTENSEN.

each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

